‘Irina: The Vampire Cosmonaut’ is a science fiction fantasy light novel series written by Keisuke Makino which also got a manga published by Shogakukan. Its popularity led to an anime adaption from Arvo Animation with director Akitoshi Yokoyama that launched in October 2021 with Funimation announcing an English dub.
“The first person in space…was a vampire! We’re excited to announce that the Irina: The Vampire Cosmonaut English dub is officially on its way to Funimation, and we’ve got info on the series cast and when you can watch,” Funimation said on their website. “Episode 1 of the Irina: The Vampire Cosmonaut English dub will arrive on Funimation, so if you haven’t gotten a chance to experience this alternate take on the Space Race, there’s never been a more perfect time.”
They continue, “The English voice cast of the series includes Tia Ballard (FAIRY TAIL, Toilet-bound Hanako-kun) as Irina Luminesk and Stephen Fu (WONDER EGG PRIORITY, Darwin’s Game) as Lev Leps.”
Wikipedia describes the synopsis as, “With the conclusion of the World War in 1945, the world is divided between two major superpowers: the Zirnitra Union in the east and the United Kingdom of Arnack in the west. With their borders set on earth, both superpowers look to space as the next frontier for expansion, sparking a space race. However, Zirnitra has a trump card in the form of Irina Luminesk, a vampire who they hope to use as a test subject to spearhead research into achieving the first human spaceflight.”
“In order to ensure her training goes smoothly, the young cosmonaut candidate Lev Leps is assigned to be her handler. While he is instructed to treat Irina as nothing more than a test subject, Lev cannot help but be fascinated with the young vampire girl,” the synopsis adds.
The cast also includes Jād Saxton, Mark Stoddard, Marcus Stimac, Jonah Scott, Kyle Phillips, Anthony Bowling, Jarrod Greene, Kimmie Britt, and Caitlin Glass with Cris George serving as ADR Director.
You can watch the trailer below:
‘Irina: The Vampire Cosmonaut’ Is Getting An English Dub
Justice League’s Steppenwolf Statue is How Much?!
The Snyder Cut of Justice League has to be one of the most polarizing comic book movies I’ve ever come across. Everyone seems to have a strong opinion of it, either positive or negative. Yet, no one ever says, “meh.” Regardless, is either version of the films’ main villain notable enough to warrant a $1,804 statue?
At least in the original cut of the film, Steppenwolf was often referred to as a generic video game villain. Unfortunately, his design was uninspired, and I honestly forgot everything about him. He was no Darkseid … which is why the big bad had to be shown so often in the Snyder cut, I guess.
Well, someone thought he was worth the effort because Prime 1 Studio made a 40″ tall statue of the guy. Yeah, he’s enormous. But, as a static figure, he is impressive, if not somewhat generic. If you showed him to me without telling me, he was a DC villain, and I’d have no idea who he was.
Steppenwolf will ship sometime between January and May 2023. He can be pre-ordered from Sideshow right now.
With the Snyder cut of Justice League, Steppenwolf not only received a fuller backstory complete with pathios and motivation; he also received a gleaming renovation. Sculpting all the intricate detail of this magnificent costume was no easy feat, but Prime 1 Studio was up to the herculean task. Not only that, we made sure to paint this statue in a faithful rendering of the glossiest, shiniest metal paint as to accentuate his new costume from every angle. He may be a bad guy, but he really doesn’t have a bad side, so to speak!
So, who is gonna put down the nearly $2k for this thing? There’s gotta be a JL superfan out there who has already pre-ordered at least two of them. Who was it? I need names!
[Source: Sideshow]
Wolverine’s Robot Clone Albert and Elsie-Dee Make A Great Statue!
There was a point in the Wolverine comics during the early ’90s when the bladed mutant was hunted by a robot clone of himself, and it also had a companion in the form of a little girl android. But, man, Marvel was throwing everything at the wall.
Albert, the Wolvie robot, and Elsie-Dee have teamed up again, but this time as a statue from Iron Studios. If you remember the storyline, you probably remember that Albert rarely seemed to have much synthetic skin left on his body. Meanwhile, Elsie-Dee looks as pristine as ever in her pink dress while calling the shots.
The statue stands at just over 8″ tall and is priced at $250. The duo will ship sometime between October and December 2022. It can be pre-ordered now from Sideshow Collectibles.
Created by cyborg supervillain Donald Pierce, the droids Elsie-Dee (a pun on LCD, for their artificial origin) with the appearance of a five-year-old girl, and their counterpart, Albert (a robot, copy of Logan), were designed to kill Wolverine. Thanks to the evolved artificial intelligence of Elsie-Dee and Albert (named after Albert Einstein), they come to the conclusion that Logan was a noble person and didn’t deserve to die, and thus, abandon their original mission and become eventual allies of the mutant hero. Elsie-Dee has superior intellect, can interact with computers, and has above-average strength. Albert has similar characteristics, claws like Wolverine (but not adamantium), fighting abilities, and reinforced armor on the metallic parts of his body.
I remember the Elsie-Dee and Albert story playing out in the comics when I was a kid. My friend let me borrow all the issues, and then I forgot to give them back at the end of the school year. He was never seen again. Did my failure to return his comics cause some major tragic event to unfold? My god!
What do you think of the statue? Should the Robo-Wolverine storyline play out on the big screen when the MCU finally gets around to bringing in the X-MEN? Let us know in the comments.
[Source: Iron Studios]
Flash Gordon & The Phantom Statues From Iron Studios Look Awesome!
The original superheroes of the long-gone golden age of comic books have been sprouting up recently for some reason. The Phantom and Flash Gordon could be on the way back to the forefront of the comic book market, and I’m all for it. With Marvel movies on the decline, it’s time for The Ghost Who Walks and the intergalactic hero Flash to step in.
Iron Studios will be adding both heroes to their line of 1/10th scale statues in the fourth quarter of 2022. The Phantom is priced at $199, while Flash Gordon is $149. So will Mandrake and Ming be on the horizon?
Flash and his allies live their adventures in Mongo, traveling through the planet\’s eclectic ecosystem, discovering different kingdoms and cultures, from primitive people to the most advanced, and Flash Gordon uses his intelligence and leadership to unify the inhabitants against the oppressive regime of Ming.
The Phantom has no superpowers and having been trained as a child to take on the legacy of his ancestors, he uses his strength, intelligence, and renowned immortality to defeat his enemies. The best known of his dynasty is the 21st Phantom, married to Diana Palmer with whom he had two children, Kit and Heloise. He has the help of a Bandar healer named Guran, his best friend who has saved his life several times.
The Flash Gordon movie and Defenders of the Earth introduced me to these two golden age comic book heroes. If it were not for Flash, we’d probably never have Star Wars, and the Phantom I always felt should have had a team-up with Indiana Jones. I’m very much a kid of the action-adventure age.
Now, if only we could get a good Phantom or Flash Gordon movie. But, seriously, it’s not complicated. They don’t need to be silly or cynical. Just take their adventures from the comic strips and put them on the screen without tainting the script with modern politics.
What are your thoughts on these King Features heroes? Let us know in the comments.
[Source: Iron Studios]
‘Heaven Official’s Blessing’ Is Getting An English Dub
‘Heaven Official’s Blessing’ is a Chinese fantasy novel written by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu that follows Xie Lian as he tries and fails multiple times to ascend to godhood. Its popularity led to an animated donghua adaption of eleven episodes and one special from Haoliners Animation League. Funimation announced that they had acquired the rights to produce an English dub of the series.
“It’s happening! We’re excited to announce that Funimation is dubbing its very first donghua series, as the start of the Heaven Official’s Blessing English dub arrives later this week,” Funimation said on their website. “… the first two episodes of the Heaven Official’s Blessing English dub comes to Funimation, so if you haven’t experienced the journey of Xie Lian and Hua Cheng just yet (or want to start it all over from the top!), it’s almost time.”
They continued, “The English voice cast of the series includes Howard Wang (SK8 the Infinity, Actors: Song Connection) as Xie Lian, James Cheek (Assassination Classroom, The Vision of Escaflowne) as Hua Cheng, Phil Song (Scarlet Nexus) as Nan Feng, Lucien Dodge (Jujutsu Kaisen, Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train) as Fu Yao and Wendee Lee (Blue Exorcist, Outlaw Star) as Ling Wen.”
You can check out the trailer below:
Wikipedia describes the synopsis as:
“Eight hundred years ago, Xie Lian was the Crown Prince of the Xian Le kingdom. He was loved by his citizens and was considered the darling of the world. He ascended to the Heavens at a young age; however, due to unfortunate circumstances, was quickly banished back to the mortal realm. Years later, he ascends again–only to be banished again a few minutes after his ascension.
Now, eight hundred years later, Xie Lian ascends to the Heavens for the third time as the laughing stock among all three realms. On his first task as a god thrice ascended, he meets a mysterious demon who rules the ghosts and terrifies the Heavens, yet, unbeknownst to Xie Lian, this demon king has been paying attention to him for a very, very long time.”
Haoliners Animation League and Bilibili announced that production on a second season had begun.
Henry Cavill Talks The DCEU, Marvel, and James Bond
‘The Cold Light of Day’ actor Henry Cavill is not afraid to tackle big roles. He is set to return to Netflix’s ‘The Witcher’ as well as ‘Enola Holmes,’ slated to star in a ‘Highlander’ remake, and make an appearance in the spy thriller ‘Argylle.’ Fans of the DC Universe also know him as Superman from the DCEU, but many are hoping he will join Marvel as Captain Britain as well as take on the role of iconic British MI6 Agent James Bond.
Cavill recently sat down with The Hollywood Reporter to discuss returning as Clark Kent and joining other franchises.
“There is still a lot of storytelling for me to do as a Superman, and I would absolutely love the opportunity,” Cavill explained. “The killing of Zod gave a reason for the character never to kill again. Superman falling to the ground and screaming afterward — I don’t think that was originally in the script, but I wanted to show the pain he had. I did far more emotional takes they didn’t choose; tears were happening. He just killed the last remaining member of his species. That’s the choice he made in that moment, and he’ll never do that again. There’s an opportunity for growth after that, to explore the psyche of Superman as a deep, seemingly invulnerable god-like being but with real feeling on the inside. As I always say, ‘The cape is still in the closet.’”
On the topic of joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Cavill only has one rule.
“I’m never going to say a Marvel character that is already being played by someone else because everyone’s doing such an amazing job,” he said. “However, I have the internet and I have seen the various rumors about Captain Britain and that would be loads of fun to do a cool, modernized version of that — like the way they modernized Captain America. There’s something fun about that, and I do love being British.”
When it comes to donning the 007 moniker, he cites his busy schedule on why that might not be a possibility. “Something has changed, something has shifted,” Cavill answered. “After 21 years of hard work, I have three jobs lined up. Maybe it’s me, maybe it’s my approach, maybe my value as a commodity increases being attached to things like The Witcher. Now I can really focus on the storytelling and grow from here.”
Aside from starring as Superman in the Zack Snyder trilogy of DCEU films, he also starred in a reboot of ‘The Man from U.N.C.L.E.’ spy and joined the Tom Cruise movie ‘Mission: Impossible – Fallout.’ The second season of ‘The Witcher’ is set to be released on December 20, 2019.
‘Venom’ Artist Ryan Stegman Discusses His Favorite Anime
Comic book artist Ryan Stegman has illustrated the ‘Venom’ for Marvel Comics and recently partnered with Funimation to create a one-of-a-kind poster for ‘My Hero Academia: World Heroes’ Mission’ which features protagonist Deku engaged in battle.
'Venom' artist Ryan Stegman draws My Hero Academia! pic.twitter.com/vxf3Prs3vU
— Jukt Micronics (@JuktMicronicsX) November 11, 2021
Stegman recently spoke with Funimation about how his artwork, anime, and why he likes ‘My Hero Academia.’
“My favorite series is Neon Genesis Evangelion,” he said. “It has so much depth and really is just a great piece of fiction in general. The themes and ideas in it blew my mind when it initially came out in America.”
When asked about his work on ‘My Hero Academia,’ he explained, “For the Shigaraki and Dabi cover, I was going for a more horrific vibe. Because let’s face it, those characters are frightening! On this one with Deku and Flect Turn, I went for a battle scene. Battle scenes are my favorite thing to draw, so this was a ton of fun. It’s still pretty dark, but that’s sort of what I bring stylistically to most things I draw. And My Hero Academia, while fun, can also get very dark and I think that’s part of its charm.”
Stegman said, “I’m a big Deku fan. I know, boring answer, but my all-time favorite comic book character is Spider-Man, and Deku has so much in common with him. I’m drawn to these characters that get knocked down again and again, but always get up and fight for what’s right.”
“Everything I do is inspired by everything that has come before me. So, while I can’t pinpoint specific characters or anything, I can say that I tried to channel many of my favorite artists here,” he added.
When asked what kind of character he would design for MHA, Stegman replied, “I’d like to see a Hulk-type character in the MHA universe. A big smasher. Mainly because I like drawing things getting smashed so that would be a blast to draw within the confines of MHA.”
‘My Hero Academia: World Heroes’ Mission’ is currently out in theaters in dubbed and subbed versions.
‘Call of the Night’ Vampire Romance Manga Is Getting An Anime Adaption
‘Yofukashi no Uta’ is a Japanese romantic comedy manga written by Kotoyama and published by Shogakukan through the Shōnen Sunday Comics imprint. The story follows a young student who meets a mysterious girl who turns out to be a vampire. It was released in the United States through Viz Media as ‘Call of the Night’ and now the Japanese animation studio Liden Films announced an anime adaption is in the works.
Funimation reports, “Vampires have been all the rage this year, and the trend is only going to continue into the next! An anime adaptation of Kotoyama’s Call of the Night manga is coming to the renowned Noitamina programming block in July 2022, which broadcast such hits as The Promised Neverland, PSYCHO-PASS and the current Ranking of Kings.”
“The teaser trailer previews the first meeting of Ko Yamori, played by Gen Sato (Dr. STONE), and Nazuna Nanakusa, played by Sora Amamiya (Mieruko-chan), to the tune of Creepy Nuts’ (Ninja Slayer) theme song,” they continue. “With plenty of vampire experience already under their belt as directors on The Case Study of Vanitas and the Monogatari series, Tetsuya Miyanishi and Tomoyuki Itamura are helming the production at studio LIDENFILMS (Tokyo Revengers), joined by Michiko Yokote (The Great Jahy Will Not Be Defeated!) on series composition and Haruka Sagawa (Child of Kamiari Month) on character design.”
Liden Films also released a poster for the series:
"Call of the Night" – Teaser Visual!https://t.co/6A1uJpDTBP pic.twitter.com/vhWh2aJK5L
— Anime Trending (@AniTrendz) November 10, 2021
MyAnimeList describes the plot:
“Kou Yamori seems like a typical middle school student on the surface. Relatively good at studies and amiable with his classmates, he puts a lot of effort into maintaining this facade. One day, however, he decides to stop pretending and quits school, developing insomnia as a result of having no daytime outlet for his energy. When taking walks alone at night, he feels marginally better, though he is aware that his inability to sleep should be considered a serious problem.
On one such walk, Kou meets a weird girl, Nazuna Nanakusa, who diagnoses the cause of his sleeplessness: despite making changes in his life, he is still holding himself back from experiencing true freedom. She says that he won’t be able to sleep unless he is satisfied with how he spends his waking hours. When it appears that she has resolved his current worries, Nazuna invites him back to her apartment to share her futon. After a while, unaware that he is only feigning unconsciousness, she leans over him—and bites his neck!”
The show is set to be released on Fuji TV. No information yet on whether the anime will receive an English dub.
The Dark Knight Is 1/4 Scale In This New Hot Toys Release
Hot Toys has a new Dark Knight Batman on the way as part of the 1/4 scale line of figures. Just like with the 1/6 figures, these are still packed with the same level of detail. This version of Batman looks quite incredible, and he should with a $595 price tag over at Sideshow!
The release date for this Batman is between April and June 2023. So you’ve got some time to put that money aside. Click here to pre-order.
Sophisticatedly crafted based on the portrayal of Christian Bale as Batman/Bruce Wayne in The Dark Knight Trilogy movies, the quarter-scale figure stands 47cm tall, features two Batman masked head sculpts with interchangeable face designs including one with LED light-up function on eyes and one with separate rolling eyeballs features; a Bruce Wayne head sculpt showcasing delicate craftsmanship; a highly poseable body reflecting Batman’s strong and muscular form; finely tailored Batsuit completed with weave carbon fiber-like detailing; an array of signature gadgets including EMP rifle with LED light-up function, sticky bomb gun, grapnel gun, batarangs, mini-mine, functional equipment; and a chest bust collectible stand for displaying Bruce Wayne head sculpt and Batman masked head sculpts. The figure also features a beautifully crafted diorama figure base including elements of Ra’s al Ghul, Bane, and The Joker.
Like other Hot Toys figures, this 1/4 scale Batman comes with a ton of features and accessories:
- One (1) newly painted head sculpt of Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne in the movie with accurate facial expression, detailed wrinkles, and skin texture
- One (1) Batman masked head sculpt with separate rolling eyeballs features and three (3) interchangeable lower part of faces capturing his classic facial expressions
- One (1) additional Batman masked head sculpt featuring the sonar vision device with LED light up function on eyes (battery operated) and interchangeable faces techniques design
- Approximately 47cm tall
- Batman body with over 32 points of articulation
- Seven (7) pairs of interchangeable gloved hands including:
- One (1) pair of fists
- One (1) pair of relaxed hands
- One (1) pair of weapon holding hands
- One (1) rifle holding left hand
- Each head sculpt is specially hand-painted
Costume:
- One (1) Batsuit featuring fabric costume covered with armor
- One (1) newly tailored black-colored cape
- One (1) utility belt in metallic gold with buckle in partial diecast material and accessories
- One (1) pair of forearm gauntlets
- One (1) pair of black-colored boots
Weapons:
- One (1) EMP rifle with LED light-up function (battery operated)
- One (1) transformable sticky bomb gun
- One (1) grapnel gun
- Three (3) batarangs with partial diecast material
- One (1) miniature mine
- Two (2) functional ultrasonic cutters (attachable to utility belt)
- Two (2) functional radiation detectors (attachable to utility belt)
Accessories:
- One (1) flight pack
- One (1) chest bust collectible stand (Interchangeable for Bruce Wayne head sculpt and Batman masked head sculpts)
- One (1) diorama figure base include elements of Ra’s al Ghul, Bane, and The Joker
Exclusive Bonus Accessory for Special Edition:
- One (1) Batman cowl (not wearable on figure)
**Battery included for collectible figure, button cells are required
***Battery included for EMP rifle, button cells (3 pieces) are required
Ready to spend the $595 on a Batman? Let us know in the comments.
[Source: Sideshow]
Netflix Versions of ‘The Witcher Funko’ Pops! Revealed
The next batch of episodes for The Witcher is just about a month away. So what better way to get ready than by pre-ordering a bunch of Funko Pops based on the series? Well, you could get plastic surgery to look like Henry Cavill if you wanted to get into the spirit of things, but Pops is far more affordable for most of us.
Entertainment Earth is currently taking pre-orders for four new Pops. These include Geralt, Ciri, Yennifer, and Jaskier. Each figure is listed at $11.99, and all will be released in January and February 2022.
Currently, it looks like Geralt is the only Pop that has a chase figure. Unfortunately, Entertainment Earth does not list how rare this variant is. So, the only way to make sure you get it is by buying lots of them! Obey. Consume.
Season 2 will debut on December 17th exclusively on Netflix.
What are your thoughts on this interpretation of The Witcher? A worthy adaptation of Hollywood doing Hollywood things to an IP to pat themselves on the back? Let us know in the comments.
[Source: Entertainment Earth]
